


Birds in a golden cage

by mydeardeath



Series: Lesser evil [2]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alpha Tim Drake, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Forced Bonding, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Omega Damian Wayne, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydeardeath/pseuds/mydeardeath
Summary: Tim and Damian deal with the aftermath of their bonding.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Damian Wayne
Series: Lesser evil [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866658
Comments: 34
Kudos: 155





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I went back to this story sooner than I would have imagined. Let's hope I won't take another two years break this time ^^

Damian had been born with everything. He had money and power to his name from his first breath. As an Al Ghul, the boy had had servants to obey him and the league of assassins as his inheritance. Later, when his mother had put him under his father's care, he had been the heir of Bruce Waye and the heir of Batman. His lifestyle had changed drastically in Gotham, but his name had still held power.

What did he have now? Nothing. Nothing to his name. The bed he was sleeping in, the food he was eating, all that he was touching was no his own. He would never truly possess anything anymore. All that he had owned was or would now be his mate's, would be Tim's.  
To make things worse, Damian started wondering if that had not always been the case. His name had meant something because of what his parents had created. But who was he? He was Robin at night. But who was Damian Wayne?

Tim had said that he didn't have to change anything. It was just a paper, that their day to day life could remain the same. Damian had bit back the hysterical laugh that threatened to come out at the absurdity of his words. Maybe Tim's life would not be that different. He was an Alpha, after all. He would be reinstated as Wayne Enterprise's CEO in no time, and nobody at the office would look down on him because of the whole affair. The pro-Omega right would praise him for trying to protect him. The Alpha's supremacist would accuse Damian of being an Omega bitch that Tim had saved for Bruce's sake. He wasn't ever sure that WE stocks would suffer from the scandal. Tim would keep his hold on the business, and Damian would be dragged to galas where he would have to behave. The thought made him sick. In public, he would always have to obey Tim. Refusing to would mean only trouble for both of them. If he made Tim appear weak in front of everyone, it could be dangerous for him too. They weren't living in a country where Alphas could challenge each other for all their belongings, including one's Omega, but looking weak would attract attention. And, as of now, Robin was all that Damian still had. Robin didn't need media attention.

When Damian was not Robin, he would spend all his time in his room. Tim had given a whole floor. It was supposed to be for emergencies where the manor would be compromised so that their whole family would have room. Tim offered to have it remodeled to his liking. Damian wanted to yell he had his own place, that Tim's would never be home. His apartment was pretty small. He was equipped with just the necessary to help him deal with his heat. He couldn't be a base of operations, not one like the Batcave or the Nest.

It was laughable anyway, Damian didn't have his "own" place. He didn't own anything anymore, not even himself. His assets and bank accounts had been frozen at his arrest and where now being transferred to Tim. For now, he was stuck with the Alpha. Maybe later, when the situation had settled and his father's position restored, he could disappear. He hated the idea of stealing. However, he doubted he would have another choice but to deprive Tim of some of his millions. Poor guy. Damian refused to live on the street with no access to suppressants. He wasn't going to end up as a whore. Plus, he would need a lot of resources to hide from everyone. Hide from Ra's. 

"Just a few months and I'm free."

That was the mantra Damian keep repeating in his head. If he focused really hard on it, then maybe he would manage to go through the next month without losing his sanity.

***

Tim had left Damian upstairs right after they had arrived in his home. The mark on his neck was burning, and it still felt like throwing up. He knew that Damian had it worst, that he couldn't complain, but he hated it so much. More than anything, he hated Ra's. This whole thing wasn't related to his vendetta against Tim. Ra's had seemed surprised during the trial, so he mustn't have known about their connection. It couldn't be an attack against Tim. It didn't change the fact that the man deserved to pay for trapping them in a forced bond. Never had Tim ever felt as disgusting as when he had sunk his teeth in Damian's skin. Ra's had made him a rapist. Bonding was far more intimate than sex in Tim's opinion.

Bonding was forever. It was sharing a connection that was far more than a physical link. Damian scent was enhanced to him, and he could almost sense his emotions, even when they were far away. It was supposed to be beautiful. The communion of two souls, so they could share their joy and pains, their love. Their bond was tainted. It wouldn't grow to become magical, like in all the romantic movies Tim had seen with Dick. He and Damian had always been at odds. They would make progress, and then the Omega would ruin it. Now, Tim understood why. Nonetheless, they had never grown close, and the weight of a mating bond was not going to help. He had fed Damian nonsense about the future, that everything would be the same. He knew Damian hadn't believed it. Neither did he.

Tim didn't know how to deal with it. He didn't have a plan for that. So, he gave Damian an entire floor that will soon be fully independent from the rest of the loft. He would let Damian handle the architect he had contacted. The man had already been paid to do whatever Damian desired while Tim took care of Ra's. He was not going to fight the man. That would be useless. He would locate every one of Ra's bases, every shell company that he owned, every bank account that provided him with resources. Everything that belonged to Ra's, everything that he drew power from, Tim would destroy. Pieces by pieces, his empire would crumble until he had only his body left. Then Tim would face him. Or perhaps he would give him to Damian. The Omega deserved it even more. Maybe Damian also merited to know of Tim's plan, but he couldn't bear to be with Damian right now. Every time he would look at him would only be a reminder of what he had done. 

Was he still worthy of being part of the family, of being a bat? Nobody had offered another solution, but Tim hadn't given them time. He had claimed Damian right when the GCPD had come for them. Maybe if he had kept his mouth shut, the trial would have lasted longer. Long enough to come up with a better solution. They would just have had to hope that not much harm came to Damian in the meantime. Why did he have to be one that had to make that decision?

Taking down Ra's was giving him a purpose so he wouldn't break down in the months to come. Plus, he really wanted to see Ra's face while his whole world burn. He deserved to know the feeling too.


	2. Chapter 2

Damian stayed in bed for a few hours after waking up, waiting to hear the front door close behind Tim as he went to work. They hadn't crossed each other seen since Tim had shown him where he would be staying. The night before, Tim had ordered take-out and drop some at the top of the stairs, stating out loud that it was here if Damian wanted it. He had not waited for an answer before going back to his own part. The meal had been simple but vegetarians, to Damian's appreciation. The Alpha must have guessed that Damian wouldn't go for it right away, so he had chosen something cool. It had been a good call, as Damian had waited for hours before giving in. Refusing to eat would not help him. He needed his strength for his plan.

Tim had left a note with the food. An architect would be dropping by during the day to start working on Damian's floor. A Beta one. He felt relieved to know the caste of the woman. He wasn't suddenly afraid of all Alphas, but for the moment, he wouldn't be able to stand in the same room as a self-righteous one. He would have snapped at the slightest sexist comment. A dead body would not help right now.

While waiting for the architect to show up, Damian explored every room of his floor. They were all identical to his own, plain and empty. Damian started realizing a few sketches. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to include a kitchen here, but the note had said anything he desired. Damian wasn't sure what else to ask. He couldn't demand anything related to Robin. But he needed things to keep him from getting crazy while he was still under house arrest. He was not supposed to leave the house without his mate.

A gym would be nice to keep in form, far away from Tim and his nest. He was dreading having to share that space with him when they would prepare for patrol. He didn't need to spend more time than necessary in it. If possible, he would only go down to take a bike and go out. He could go past Tim without them talking or being too close.  
Damian pondered what else he could want. Maybe he should request a library? Reading could provide some form of entertainment while he was trapped here. What else was he supposed to be doing here? He didn't expect Tim to demand he be the perfect housewife that kept their home clean and cooked him dinner when he would be back from the office.

But, besides that, Damian didn't know what to make of his new home. His places had always held a purpose. To be safe after patrol or to for a heat. If his previous homes were a representation of his person, what was Damian beside Robin and an Omega? He hadn't thought about it when he was younger. With his mother, he had been happy becoming the best assassin possible to please her. That had been his life for years. With his father, he had mostly been Robin. He had stayed homeschooled for years before going to a normal school with Jon. He hadn't fit in at all. Jon had basically been his only friends here, and Jon was Robin's friend, not Damian's. The Omega had had no project to work in his father's company nor anywhere else. His only goal had been to one day become Batman. 

So, Damian had never had a civilian's life. Until today, at least. He could do as Tim had say. Go on with his life as if nothing had changed, spend his day training, and his night beating criminals. But Damian couldn't ignore what had happened. He couldn't stop thinking of the fact that he was mated. The mark was still fresh, and he could feel it rubbing against his shirt every time he moved.

Damian had thought of calling the few friends he had but he wasn't in the mood for Jon and his stupid positivity. Plus, he simply wasn't ready to face the teen titans. What kind of leader was he, to be brought to his knee and humiliated in front of the world. Because he had been a humiliation to Damian. During the night he had dreamt that he had killed everyone in the courtroom, and walk free with his dignity intact. 

At 2 pm, Mrs.Atkins was knocking on the door. Damian composed himself before answering, he was not going to show how much this affair had affected. He would not be weak in front of strangers. Not again.

"Hello, Mr.Wayne."

Damian tried to smile while returning her greetings, but he was sure it was closer to a grimace. She didn't seem phased by it and went straight to work, to his relief.

"So, what would you like do to, Mr.Wayne?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't had much time to think about it. I made some sketches, we could see from there."

Damian handed her the drawing he had made in the morning. He could have kept the room he had slept in the night before and adapt the rest of the floor. But it didn't felt right. These rooms were just functional, made for being used for a short amount of time. If Damian was to stay here for months, or even longer if he never managed to escape, he needed to feel at home.

The architect examined Damian's draft, giving it an appraising look.

"Did you draw that yourself? It's pretty good."

"Thank you." Damian was pleased with the compliment. It was something he prided with being good at. He had been trained to kill from birth, but art was a way for him to create too, to create beautiful's things.

"Do you have a heat-room?"

Damian opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it. That had come out of nowhere. Mated people had heat room for their young Omega children, not for the omega of the couple. Damian hadn't even thought about it. He had not really wanted to think about his heat now that he was bonded. He had his heats every five months or so. If he planned his escape well, he wouldn't have to go through that anywhere near Tim.

"Your Alpha his a businessman, isn't he? He might be away when your heat comes."

No one that wasn't in favor of omega rights would have suggested that. Tim had chosen well. He guessed he could have one, as he contingency plan. Tim still could have use of it if he took a new Omega for a mate after him. 

"That is a good idea, Mrs.Atkins. We shall add that to the plan."

Then he showed her his floor. She took measurements and inspected which wall they could potentially take down or where the pipes and lines were. It took a bit more than an hour before she was finished with her work.

"I will take your sketches back to my office if you don't mind. Once I got plans, I'll contact you, if that's good for you, Mr.Wayne?"

"Yes. Perfect." He answered automatically.

His smile was a bit more genuine when he saw her out. But once he closed the door behind her, his face closed off. The drawings and the meeting had been a good distraction, but what was he supposed to do now? Damian wasn't in the mood for anything. Everything felt like too much of an effort. He stared emptily at the doorway for who knows how long. Damian finally startled awake when the phone went off. He exchanged a few words with the officer, confirming that he was indeed at home.

With his phone now in hand, he opened his contact list. After hesitating for a while, he started to dial the manor just to hang up as soon as he heard Alfred's voice. He had thought that calling them might help, but it was too much. They would try to comfort him. But Damian didn't want to hear that at the moment.

Alfred tried to call him back a few times, but Damian simply couldn't. His hands were trembling, and tears were falling down his cheeks. He tried repeating his mantra. But it wasn't much help. 

"Free," that term was laughable. Free to spend his life hiding and alone. A chuckle escaped his lips. The tears kept falling, but he couldn't stop laughing. He kept going until he was choking, barely able to breathe. 

He had never wondered what he would do in the future. His life had been shaped around the model of his parents. Robin was all he was today. All his friends were Robin's. Running away would mean giving it all up. Once he left, he would have nothing, no one.

No more patrol. No more nights out with Jon or Maya. No more dinner at the manor.

He wondered if freedom was worth it. If life was worth it. Maybe he should end it now. Maybe death was freedom.

***

Murmured followed Tim as soon as he entered the hall of the Wayne building. They had seen the article revealing Damian's true gender, then the one about Tim claiming him. He wasn't too afraid of having lost their support, he had always been popular among his employees. He was far more concerned about what they might say about Damian. He wouldn't allow anyone to speak ill of him. Mated or not, they had been part of the same family, he would not let any of his employees disregard the young man.

The ride to his office was awfully silent despite the elevator being full of people. Everybody had felt free to gossip when he was far away, thinking that he couldn't see them. But now that they were stuck in a small place with him, they didn't dare utter a word. They glanced at him from time to time but tried to keep their eyes on the floor. Tim's business smile never wavered. He couldn't seem affected by anything. He needed to get his post back, and any sign of weakness could be used against him.

Tim was prepared to fight the board. He was used to all those men trying to evict. They had done so in his early year, without success. Now that he had more experience, he was sure to win. The only question was how long it would take.

His secretary hurried to his side as soon as he was stepped on his floor, filling him in on all that he had missed. She had prepared his office for his return, but there wasn't much he could do. He had lost access to most of his files for the moment. Someone from PR would soon be here to work on Tim's public statement. Tim's future mostly rested on how good it would be. But the Alpha was pretty confident. With the right words, both pro and anti Omega rights would hear what they wanted to. His image shouldn't suffer too much. The board would probably try his patience, finding numerous reasons to slow down his return. Usually, Tim would be annoyed. He didn't like being delayed in his work, but he had more important tasks at the moment.

As he needed to be seen at the office even if he couldn't actually work, he had sent his friends to do some recon on the field. He had enlisted them to help him locate Ra's bases and assess them. After what he had done at the cradle, Ra's had moved of all his assets so he was mostly starting from zero. Habitually, stealth wasn't their strong suit (especially not Bart's), but he trusted them. They would take the mission seriously after what had happened even if they were itching to beat Ra's to a pulp. They had respect for Tim, and they knew that his plan would be a far better solution in the long term.

The three of them had put on new suits made for covert missions so they would be less identifiable. Their powers still made them highly identifiable, so Ra's wouldn't be duped if they were spotted. But, if confronted by the justice league, they could deny being involved. Tim still hoped it wouldn't come to that. He didn't want Bruce getting involved. After years battling Ra's, he had never made a major move to take down Ra's operation for good. Tim could understand. Bruce probably didn't think that it was something possible, that Ra's was too ancient. He didn't want to endanger his family by angering the man. 

Tim had shared his fear for a long time. But Ra's had hurt their family nonetheless. So, Tim was done holding back. If Ra's wanted war, Tim was ready to give it to him.

The publicist knocked on his door just as he received Kon's information on a base in the Himalayas. Thus far, he had picked five. None important until this one. He sent a quick 'good job' to Kon before welcoming the man, offering a charming smile while shaking his hand. He trusted his friend to gather information while he was busy, and in the meantime, he was going to take WE back.


	3. Chapter 3

Tim left the office around 4 pm. He hadn't had much to do, so Tim had started searching for shell companies that might belong to Ra's once he had been alone. He hadn't made much progress, but he didn't expect it to be easy. Nonetheless, Tim was determined to take the man down for good this time. He had already warned Bruce that he would only patrol if they needed reinforcement. Officially, he was trying to adapt to his new marital status. Bruce had offered to talk to him in an awkward way that was so Bruce. The man was not good with pep talks to cheer them up, but at least he tried.

But right now, Tim didn't need support. He was fine. He had a new goal, and he had started to think about his and Damian's future. If they never consumed their mating, and never grew close, the bond would dissipate in a year. They could still pretend to be a couple in front of the law, but they would be free to be with someone else. If they found someone open-minded, that is. And probably someone that was part of the hero community. They could never risk being with a civilian. Too much risk of the relationship being leak to the press.

So their situation was not Tim's main focus. He was sure Damian would manage. He couldn't have been easy for him, Tim knew. He had not felt good yesterday either. It had taken hours for Tim to finally fall asleep, even though he had felt too sick to do anything else. But after finally getting some rest, he had been able to see things differently. Dating someone as their civilian's identities would have hardly ever been possible, so this marriage would in time serve a purpose. He would provide a good cover while their hero persona could date someone else. Surely Damian had drawn the same conclusion that Tim had. It was only logical, after all.

Tim's only concern was the league of assassins now. Tim had plans to meet with his young justice friends in the evening. They would need to do it in his the Nest to avoid attracting Damian's interest. While Tim was sure that their situation would improve with time, the Alpha preferred to keep away from his Omega. It was weird referring to Damian as such, but that what he was. They had been "predestined" mates even before.

Sometimes people called that 'soulmates', but it was mainly about pheromones. People that were drawn together because of the signals they emitted. Those hormones often attracted Alphas to Omegas, so many cultures had deemed it to be a mystical bond that gave rights to Alphas over Omegas. Technically, you could easily have multiple matches. Unfortunately, people rarely had the time to meet more than one before getting married.

Tim and Damian weren't two parts of the same soul, fated to be together. They were compatibles. That was all. But, now that they were mated, Tim feared he would want the Omega in a way he had never considered before. He didn't need pheromones messing with his head when he had a mission to accomplish.

It was not just the sleeping that had helped him clear his mind but leaving his house and leaving the scent of Damian's distress behind. The temptation of mating, physically speaking, could easily be ignored if they weren't in the same room. But anxiety was something that clung in the air, and it would fill the entire loft if Damian did not get it under control.

When Tim reached his home, journalists were waiting for him. The Alpha decided to use the front door nonetheless. He needed all the good publicity he could get, so he would bear with them for a few minutes.

"Mr. Drake-Wayne, a word about your recent mating?"

"Has Bruce Wayne pressured you into marrying his son to save him from his own mistakes?"

Tim was assaulted by dozens of questions, mostly similar to those.

"A statement will shortly be issued by Wayne Enterprises on the matter. But I take full responsibility for what happened. I did not mean to deceive all of Gotham. As Damian's Alpha, it was my duty to protect him, and I made the decision to wait until he was of age. I know that we must abide by the law, but surely you all understand why I made that decision. I not only apologize to the people of Gotham but also to my family, especially to Damian, for putting them in this situation. My intentions were only noble, but I am not above making mistakes." Tim hoped he had been the right mixed of contrite and confident. He couldn't seem in front of the cameras, but he couldn't appear arrogant. It was important that he recognized his faults and apologize for them while making everyone sympathetic to the situation.

As he had finished his small speech, he was once again drowned with questions that he could barely understand with all the journalists yelling over one another. Tim cut them: "If you will excuse me, my mate is waiting for me."

Tim sank to the ground as soon as the door closed behind him. PR was a pain in the ass. He would have like to smack the ones belittling Damian. One had ever dared to ask if they had consumed their union and if Damian had been any good considering his upbringing. It had taken all of Tim's control to ignore him instead of strangling him. But he had seen the guy name on his tag and memorized it. He would make sure he was promptly fired and unemployable. 

Being finally home didn't bring much comfort. Damian hadn't calmed down during his absence, quite the contrary. His anxiety hung heavy in the room, almost choking Tim. Were they in a happy marriage, Tim would have rushed to his mate's side to reassure him. Instead, Tim fled to his Nest, where the scent could not follow him. He was sure Damian didn't need him, that his help would neither be appreciated nor of any use. Maybe Damian just needed a bit more time or something had bothered him today. Tim thought he had chosen a good architect, a beta woman that had supported her Omega sister on multiple occasions. Maybe she had still inadvertently triggered stress. Damian would be fine. Because Tim just had to say that a few times for it to become true, didn't he?

Tim tried to stop thinking about Damian for the moment, texting his friends that he was home and that they could come. In the meantime, Tim pulled all the files they had on Ra's. He noted down all the information in a notebook, it seemed safer to write everything on paper. The messages he had exchanged with his friends were in a code they had invented and nobody else knew. He didn't want anyone to be able to crack the data they were gathering. Ra's couldn't learn that Tim was coming for him by hacking his computer. The man knew there would be retribution, but Tim hoped to keep the form it would come in a secret. He was also betting on Bruce doing something of his own to distract Ra's.

His friends finally joined him an hour after he had come home. Bart arrived last, but he brought food with him, so nobody minded it.

"I didn't know what Damian liked, but I took some for him. Is he not here?"

"He's in the loft. Upper floor. Just dropped it at the top of the stairs," Tim answered.

Bart gave him a look but didn't question it. He was gone in a flash and back before Tim could even blink.

"So, Damian not joining us in taking down Ra's?" Kon asked him. He had thought that Damian would help, providing them with good insight. He had been raised by the league after all.

"I thought he would be better if Damian and I didn't share too much space."

"It's the pull, isn't it?" Cassie asked, understanding what was going on.

"Yes," Tim admitted, albeit reluctantly.

Of course, she would know. She and Kon had mated a few years back. While she was an Alpha, like himself, Kon had no caste. Nonetheless, Cassie had been all over him the first weeks following their mating. But, Tim couldn't act on it as she had done. She and Kon had chosen to mate because they loved each other. Tim's marriage was nothing like that.

"So, what have you guys found?" Tim asked, deviating the conversation.

They spent the rest of the evening drawing plans of the base they knew of so far, making annotations about defenses and the number of occupants. Kon also suggested they found which satellites Ra's was using, so that when the time came, Kon could destroy them manually. Tim hadn't thought about it and was proud that Kon had. That was a great idea. Brilliant even. He could almost kiss Kon right now. But he did not want to be punch by Cassie.

***

Damian had spent most of his day in bed, staring at the ceiling. Hours had passed without the Omega moving. He didn't react when he heard Bart yell that food was here. He had felt a bit of anger when he had realized that Tim had invited his friends over, enjoying his evening as if everything was alright. Damian was going crazy, and that stupid Alpha was having fun. Filling the anger bubbling up under his skin, Damian finally got up. He opened the drawer of his room. This room had been made for him, so the clothes should fit. Because, of course, he didn't even have his own. Maybe Alfred would have offered to bring him some of his belongings if he had actually talked to him earlier. It's not as if he could go and take them himself as he was not allowed to leave alone. And Damian wasn't about to ask Tim. 

He put on some dark clothes, including a hoodie to hide his face. He made sure that no brand was apparent on them. He didn't need to look like a rich boy while walking alone at night. Especially not in this part of town. He was actually surprised that Tim had chosen to reveal he was living here. As if he asking to get mugged as soon as he stepped out of the door.

Damian's scent had been pretty strong after he had unwillingly stopped using scent blockers, but the bond had changed that. So, there were few chances he would attract Alphas. 

When he had finished dressing up, he carefully removed the police's tracked and put it in his bed. He wasn't feeling Tim for the moment, so he was sure that the Alpha wasn't in the loft and that he could leave unnoticed. Not that he could have stopped Damian. 

His food was still laying at the top of the stairs, but Damian ignored it. He wasn't hungry. He knew that he should have a least one meal today, but he was sick just at the thought of it. So, Damian stepped over it and went for the backdoor. The front one was probably under police surveillance.

Damian had no destination in mind. He simply walked straight forward, keeping his head down. The Omega ended up far away from home, at the harbor where it had all begun.

For a moment, he resented his father for forcing him to come for that mission. It had ruined his life. His father couldn't have known, of course, but Damian could not control his anger. He felt furious at the world right now. Why did he have to be Omega? Why did the world need to treat Omegas as walking wombs, as weak little creatures than required the guidance of an Alpha, of a master?

Damian reenacted the scene in his mind. How the Alphas had tracked him down, how they had touched him. He imagined punching them instead of going limp, imagined their bones cracking under his hands, and the blood spilling from their face as he hit them. It was a pretty good picture in Damian's opinion. One that wasn't far from the truth, but instead of Damian giving them what they deserved, it had been Jason. The night it had happened, he was the one to bring Damian back to the manor, and the Alphas had been placed under arrest before Jason could go back to them. But they had been released just a few days after, and the Red Hood could not let that slide. It wasn't just about Damian. Those were rapist that wouldn't hesitate to assault a defenseless Omega. Jason hated that kind of Alphas more than anything. And for once, Bruce hadn't reprimanded him for the excess of violence. Jason had snarled at him about double standards. It was great that Bruce was willing to let that pass when his son had been attacked, but every other Omega deserved to be protected or avenge just as much. Bruce wouldn't be able to criticize him on that point ever again.

Damian shivered in the cold night. There was no point in imagining a different outcome. Damian could blame anyone he wanted, but nothing would change. The thought of asking Wallace to go back in time had crossed his mind, but he and kid flash weren't exactly on talking terms anymore. For a time, he had started to create friendships, but his heats had put a stop to that. Damian had become even colder than before. Every Titan had put that change on his personality, on him having a superiority complex. They had pulled away from him, stating that he would always be the same. They had been none the wiser. Then Raven had visited and read his fear, much more present than it had ever been before. She had tried reaching out to him. They had never spoken or seen one another since that day. Raven would draw the right conclusion now that everybody knew his caste. He wasn't sure that the other would all realized why he had been so distant. Or if they even cared anymore.

Damian found himself staring at the water while deep in his thoughts. It was mesmerizing, tempting to let go. The water was calm in the harbor, drowning would take time. Maybe hypothermia would take him first and put an end to his sufferings.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has discussion of depression/suicide, so if you're not comfortable with that, you might want to skip the part from Damian's pov.

Tim could smell it as soon as he entered the living room. Damian was not alone up there. Without realizing it, Tim was at the top of the stairs in a matter of seconds, only stopping in front of Damian's door. Alpha's instinct had momentarily overtaken him, and he had felt jealousy tear at him, knowing that another Alpha was in his mate's room. But he didn't own Damian. They weren't involved in a romantic relationship but in a forced marriage. He needed to get himself under control.

As Tim started to turn back, the door opened behind him.

"You!" The tone was accusatory. Tim was facing an angry Alpha, a Kryptonian's one at that. Clark and Kon didn't have caste, but Jon had. "How could you let that happen?"

Tim gave a little laugh that died soon in his throat at the death glare Jon was sending him.

"You think we didn't try to come up with something better? You think it was an evil scheme to mate him?" Tim replied as aggressive as Jon. As if he had wanted for any of that to happen. "I didn't have much of a choice!"

"I'm not talking about the bonding. But whether or not you want it, Damian is your mate now. You may not love him, but you better take care of him."

"He doesn't want me to!" Tim almost yelled. Jon was crazy if he thought that Damian would accept his help.

"It may not be what he wants, but he needs you."

"You're an Alpha and his friends. He needs you." Tim knew that wasn't possible as soon as he said it. His Alpha's instinct would drive him mad with another one taking care of his mate so soon after their bond. Tim had kryptonite down in his Nest, if it came to an Alpha one of them might be severely hurt or worse.

Jon's look told him what he thought of that. "He doesn't need an Alpha. He needs someone to be here. And right now, you're the only one that can do it. So get your head out of your ass before it's too late." The last part was a threat Tim was sure of it. Something serious must have happened because he had never heard Superman's son talked like that. Not to someone that wasn't a villain. The boy looked downright murderous.

Tim nodded silently, and Jon went back to Damian's room with one last warning glare, leaving him alone in the corridor.

When Tim had gone to sleep, the scent had lessened, meaning Damian had probably been out. Tim had noticed that his food was still here when he looked up the stairs and put it in the fridge for later. Tim had hoped that Damian wasn't patroling on an empty stomach. He had sent a quick text to Alfred about Damian being out and gone to bed.  
Had Damian hurt himself because he had been in no condition to patrol? Tim should have made sure the Omega was alright before going to sleep. Tim knew of Damian's distress, knew better than the rest of the family. It had been inconsiderate to delegate the task because it was easier than being close to Damian. 

But Tim didn't know how to comfort the Omega. Giving him space and sending him that architect had been his tentative to make him comfortable. It seemed he had failed.

Tim couldn't get Damian off his mind all the way to work. He had another meeting with PR this morning to review how his declarations -the one released by WE, and the other one made in front of his house- had been received.

It was quite a boring task, but at least the feedback seemed more positive than negative. And, all the while, Tim had a program running to keep searching for shell companies.  
But all that couldn't keep his mind away from Damian. They had never been close, but he did know a few things about Damian. Like how he would cook or draw when he was bored or stress, finding both tasks southing. Or how he hoarded animals because Damian had difficulties with bonding with humans. Animals were easier, cute and of better company.

It had been a surprise for Tim to learn that Damian liked to dance. He had seen him train with Cass, but he had never admitted it to anyone. It had seemed intimate, and he had felt like he had intruded on something he should have never seen. He had left quickly before being noticed. But he couldn't resist coming back later. He had only done it once, but he had come with his camera ready. He had almost gotten caught, lost in the moment, before he had run away and hid in his darkroom for hours. He had buried the photos deep in his closet, below the Robins' ones. It was his treasure, a moment he should have never been part of. If Damian had known, he would have burned them and Tim with it. 

Ballet could be a good idea when they would be forced to have public outings. Cass would be more than willing to accompany them, providing a buffer between Damian and Tim. He promised himself he would visit Cass soon to ask her if Damian had preferences. Tim couldn't say he knew much about ballet.

In the meantime, he would try to provide Damian with other things he liked. For that, the Omega needed to accept to come shopping with him since he wasn't allowed yet to go out by himself. Tim wasn't quite convinced that Damian would accept his offer, but after his discussion with Jon this morning, he was willing to try.

***

When Damian rose from bed that day, the sun was already high in the sky. His head was killing him, and he thought he was going to throw up as soon as he tried standing.

"Easy, Dami." Hands gently pushed him back in bed. 

"Jon?"

What was his friend doing here?

"Yeah, it's me. Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

So it hadn't been a dream. Damian had done it, he had really let go. Flashes started to come back to him. Flashes of water filling his mouth and his lungs. The cold slowing his movements down when his survival instinct had kicked in. His vision going black as the world vanished around him. It had felt like he had died once again. 

"I take that as a yes. What were you thinking, Damian? You would have died if I hadn't arrived on time!" Jon was trembling. Below the anger, Damian could read the fear on his face. He had been this close to losing his best friend and was still shaken up with the shock. But Damian wasn't about to apologize.

"Maybe that's I wanted," The Omega spitted bitterly.

"Don't say that. You can't say that."

"Why not? What's the point?" Part of him was hoping that Jon would have answers. That life would suddenly make sense.

"What do you mean?"

"What's the point of living? We spent our lives working until we die, hoping for a few moments of happiness in between. We live in a society where we are slaves of the money or slaves of our bodies. Leading the league was my purpose, then being Robin. And what after, be Batman? Dedicate my whole life to the protection of people part of a system that wants me on my knee, submitting to Alphas? I'm starting to wonder if it's worth anything." Damian's voice started to crack at the end as he fighting off the tears in his eyes.

"They are things that are worth living for!"

"Such as?" 

"Love."

Damian started to laugh maniacally as soon as the words left Jon's mouth, making his headache even worse. He couldn't control it. Of all of the things he could have come up with, this one was the most absurd.

"I am bonded to someone I'll never love. And you want to talk about love? Love?? What do you expect me to do? Play housewife for Tim and give him cute little babies!" Damian was getting hysterical. All the emotions he had kept for himself were getting out. All the anger, the despair, and the guilt mixed up together and exploding in their face.

"I wasn't going to. I would never ask that of you." Jon tried to calm in down before his mind completely broke. "And love is more than about romantic relationships. It's about family and friends too. It's about all that makes you happy. There are things that you must want to do!

"No." Damian was categorical. He couldn't think of a single thing worth the pain of life. He had broken most of his friendships, he was distant from his family and he didn't have big dreams for his future. He had already traveled all around the Earth and beyond, he had seen so many things. Founding a family wasn't in his plan, and it seemed it could never be. 

"Damian..." Jon was getting desperate. How do you deal with someone that doesn't feel like living anymore?

"I don't want to talk about it anymore."

So, Jon did the only thing he could think of, and he pulled Damian into his arms. Hugs were better than words sometimes. His face hidden in Jon's shoulder, Damian finally let the tears flow freely. The more he let himself go, the more he cried, clutching tightly to his friends. None of them said anything for a while, the silence of the room only broken by Damian's sobbing.

No matter how much Damian was hurting, it was good to finally express what he was thinking. He had had no one to pour his heart to since it had all begun. He had run away from the manor as soon as he been able too, and he hadn't talked about it to Cass during their flight. She had certainly guessed a lot of things, words were not her first language after all. But her knowing of his fear, and him stating it out loud were two different things.

And after, well Damian wasn't about to confess he was afraid to Ra's. He didn't need to give the man even more power over him. He had been alone for days, not daring to show any weaknesses. When he had finally been free of Ra's, he had been whisk straight to the altar, then to his new home. His Alpha's home. He had not talked to his family since they had learned he was an Omega and part of him feared their reactions. Not because they thought less of Omegas but for lying for all those years. For rushing out of the safety of their home straight into Ra's arms. He had acted rashly and made himself a target. 

The world he was living in was unfair to Omegas, but he had known that for years. He had had the chance to be protected by his mother, then by his father's resources. He could have spent the rest of his life unconcerned by the injustices that Omegas were facing every day. He had been lucky in a way. And he had thrown it all away. He could hate Tim, but, truth is, the man was as stuck as he was. Except that if he had all the pieces like Damian had, this would have never happened. Tim was too smart for that. Damian had done that to both of them. He thought he was strong enough on his own and he had failed. And he was not the only paying for his mistakes.

And now he was reduced to a sobbing mess, crying for what his life had become. Crying because he was sharing the fate of thousands of other people. Maybe Omegas were really weaker. Or maybe it was just him. Was it bad that he wanted his father to hold him, but didn't dare ask. He was not ready to face disappointment or pity. He just wanted things to be normal.

"Do you still think you can beat up Wallace in a race?" It was barely a whisper but Jon heard him anyway.

"What?" The poor boy was confused. He had not expected that question after everything that happened.

"Would you go back in time for me ?"

"I can try. I mean it's only been a few days, how much damage could it do to the timeline?"

The worst was Jon was dead serious. He would to it for Damian. Why couldn't he had fallen in love with that boy? Damian knew it wasn't something you could force. He had never wanted more from Jon than what they already had. But how many other people were that dedicated to him, not because of obligation because they were family?

Damian didn't answer. He just held Jon even tighter and lose himself in the moment. He would be nice to forget his situation even for a few hours. He was so tired of all the thoughts in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a bit triggering, but it was actually freeing to write it. Never put so much of myself in a fic before but it suited this one.


	5. Chapter 5

Jon was still there when Tim knocked on Damian's door. The Alpha turned to greet him when he entered while Damian kept looking at the wall, refusing to even glance at Tim.

"Hey, I just wanted to see if Damian would like to drop by the manor with me."

"Seemed to be a good idea, Tim," said Jon loudly, nudging the Omega's shoulder, "Don't you think so, Damian? I guess I will leave the two of you to it. See you later!"

Damian finally faced them to throw a betrayed look at Jon. Tim actually appreciated that Jon didn't ask to tag along. His scent was so mixed up with Damian's that Tim had a hard time resisting jumping on Damian and smothering him in his. He knew that Damian must feel a similar pull, so spending time together could do them some good.

Jon smiled at him when he exited the room, but Tim could tell that he was hesitant. He probably did want to leave Damian's side. Tim still had no clue what could have happened the night before, and it didn't look like any of them would tell him. It was a bit unsettling to stay in the dark, but it's not as if he had much of a choice.

Tim started to reach out to Damian but seeing how he reflexively pulled as far away as possible deterred him, and he brought back his hand to himself.

"I had plans to see Cass anyway. You're free to accompany me. Or make me a list of things to fetch." Tim offered, but Damian shook his head. He was not ready for that.

Damian didn't utter a word, and Tim sighed. It was just the beginning. He couldn't give up so easily. 

"I guess I'll pick some things randomly for you." Tim stood awkwardly in the room for a few more minutes before leaving.

He had wanted to see Cass for a few days already. The girl was no longer under house arrest, unlike Damian, whose movements were monitored at every moment of the day. They had seen each other a few times since the authority had brought her to the manor as there had been no indication that they weren't allowed to talk. Still, Tim wanted to make sure she was alright. She was not used to being that exposed in the media. She had always been a mystery to the press, never giving an interview and rarely showing up at public events. In almost eight years of being part of the family, there were barely a dozen photos of her on the internet. She had avoided the spotlight at all costs, not comfortable with it. Even if the trial was over, this had brought attention to her. From what Tim had heard, she had not left the manor in days. They hadn't thought it would be wise for her to go back to Hong-Kong just after being arrested there, so at the moment she was stuck in Gotham.

Usually, when she was in the city, she would hang out with Steph or Harper, easily blending in on the street without drawing any attention to her. Now, she would be too recognizable, and she didn't want to risk being harassed by journalists. He knew the girls visited her regularly, to keep her company, but she would be alone today. Tim had taken this opportunity to come and see her because, not only did he wanted to see how she was doing, Cass was also a grand listener. He could really do with that right now. She was the closest to Damian in the family. They did not talk that much, but Damian didn't have to fear that she would share all that was said between them. Dick wouldn't do it on purpose, but he talked so much it all spilled out at some point. Jason would have understood him, being an Omega too, but that probably was what had stopped Damian thus far. He hadn't wanted to be lured into a false sense of security and let his guard down. He could have been tempting to confide in Jason since he would have understood him better than the rest of them. Too tempting. So, she would be the most likely able to help him.

Cass was waiting on the manor's step when he pulled his car in front of the door. She smiled brightly at him. It was great seeing her in a good mood. She was not in the best situation, but she was quick to adapt. And, while she did like going out with the girls, staying in the calm of the house was not that much of a bother to her. The most frustrating was the feeling that she did not have a choice.

"Hey, Cass!" 

"Hey, Tim." She ruffled his hair gently. She had become quite tactile over the years. "No Damian?"

He had told her he would try to bring the younger man along, but he had not been successful in his endeavor.

"Maybe another time." He replied, preferring to be positive. Hopefully, Damian would start talking to him or at least to their family. Jon had been a good step in that direction. The rest would certainly follow.

Cass led him to his room where she had prepared for his arrival. Tim had been the one that taught her how to use make-up. They all knew how to cover bruises and scars, but Tim was particularly good at it. It was tradition when they had the occasions to spend some quality time together that they would do each other's face. That's something that they only did together, away from prying eyes. It was alright to use make-up for public appearances, but Alphas weren't supposed to do it for fun, especially with one another. Omegas should be the ones applying it, should be the only ones knowing how to do it. But it was a soothing activity that demand calm and concentration.

Their family probably wouldn't have judged them, but it was like instinct to hide it. Their respective biological parents would never have approved of it, and it had stayed anchored in their heads that getting caught doing such an Omega thing would be bad for them. It was also something that had become theirs, so it also felt too intimate to share it with anyone else.

Tim started to spill as soon as he started to work, describing the situation at home with Damian. How they were barely ever in the same room. How Damian had refused to look and talk to him. 

"I don't even think he's eating. Unless he cleaned behind him so I wouldn't notice, he didn't use the kitchen. And he only ate one of the two meals I had offered him." Cass didn't say a word and did not give any sign that she was listening, but Tim knew she was. She was staying still for him as he was coloring her lips. She had gone first so she could listen to Tim. "Something happened yesterday. Jon was here when I woke up. He spent the day with Damian. I don't know why, but Jon seemed worried. I know Damian went out, but the rest is a mystery. He didn't seem injured when I saw him. But that doesn't mean he is well. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Tim was almost finished with Cass by the end of his monologue, bringing the final touch just a few seconds later. Cass took her time admiring herself in the mirror before casting an approving glance to Tim, pleased by her reflection. 

She motioned to him to take her place and only started speaking once she was at work.

"It's good. That you worry." Cass still liked to speak in small sentences, as it was easier to not lose herself in the words that way. "Damian's afraid. He needs time. Be patient." 

She told him he didn't have to start big. A few words a day would be better than ignoring Damian. That would show him he wasn't alone, and with time, he might open up to Tim despite their situation. Damian had obviously learned to fear Tim since the day they had met. Now that what he had feared had happened, it was evident that Damian wouldn't be at ease around him. Having been told that Tim wasn't the kind of Alphas that looked down on Omegas as things to dominate didn't mean it would be easy for Damian to trust him. Tim would have to prove to him that he had no attention of ever using his Damian's caste against him. But Tim couldn't treat him as if the Omega was fragile. He sort of was at the moment to be honest, but Damian wouldn't be able to tell that Tim treated him kindly because of the trauma and not because of his Omega nature.

Cass also suggested he finally learned to cook. Tim wasn't the kitchen disaster everyone made him out to be, but he had never taken the time to hone his skills in the kitchen. Cooking took time, and Tim had so much thing to do, he couldn't bother with that. While Damian was pretty good at it, well, it was typically an Omega activity. By principle, Damian would avoid it for a moment. If Tim wanted him to eat more than takeouts, he would have to make the effort. He was sure that Alfred would see him out with a few dishes, but he would disapprove of Tim dropping by every few days because he couldn't bother to cook for himself, and Tim didn't want to disappoint him.

Well, at least, with Damian dead set on not talking to him, he could fail a few times in the process, and the man wouldn't criticize him. Tim could also pretend that if he didn't finish his plate, it would have nothing to do with the taste, just that Damian wasn't in the mood. That would be better for his ego. He may know why the other had hated him so much, but Tim still had been hurt by Damian's words in the past. When the Omega had stopped trying to slash him with his katana, he had cut him with his hard words. Many had thoughts that Damian had accepted him in recent years, but the man had just been ignoring him as best as he could.

Tim had felt inadequate compared to Damian, questioning his place in the family. He had gotten better now, knowing that Damian wasn't a threat to him, that Bruce would not cast him out simply because his son had appeared. But the insecurity had lingered for a while.

Now he wasn't sure how he would react to Damian's verbal attacks. Tim hoped he had built enough confidence to not be affected by it. Having the opportunity to criticize Tim may even help bring Damian back into a feeling of normalcy. It would be even better if they could finally grow past that. The worst had already happened, so he and Damian could only go forward. Theoretically, at least. Tim couldn't know how Damian view things. It was evident he would blame Ra's, but maybe some part of him also blamed Tim.

"Now, tell me your plan." Cass pulled him out of his thoughts with that question. She had just finished doing his makeup so they could now both talk at the same time. It seemed she had been waiting for that all along.

"My plan?" Tim wasn't sure what she was talking about. They had already discussed what he could do with Damian, and surely she wasn't asking that he repeat what had just been said.

"For Ra's."

Tim winced. He hadn't wanted to involve anyone of the family. It was a risk that all of them would want to join in. Tim needed them to have their own plan to create a distraction. But there was no lying to Cass, she would be able to tell if he tried. And of course, she would guess he had one. She knew him to well. His only option was to tell her everything and hope she would agree with his idea.


End file.
